Purchasing & Payment Methods

• Any pending requisitions will show up. Click the link next to each requisition number to see the details.

• Click the link next to the line items.

• Click the link next to a line item to see the GL account that it is coded to.

• Exit out of these screens and return to the REQM screen. At approvals, go to the second line and enter Datatel user ID and password. Save all work and exit.
• Ensure that each item is allowed by the funding agency and is charged to the correct object code. Also make sure that the PR has been approved by the budget authority. On the Reconciliation Spreadsheet (T-Drive), ensure that funds are available, and add the PR amount to the current month's cell.

Bids

• For requisitions that require bids, proposals or quotes, the following additional information must be forwarded to the Purchasing Department:
  • Any information regarding price, part number(s) or specification(s);
  • Departments should send a list of possible vendor sources to the Purchasing Department to ensure that all interested bidders will receive a copy of the solicitation.
  • Departments MUST follow the purchasing guidelines.
  • With regards to Micro-purchases, all bids over $3,000 MUST have at least 3 quotes.
    • The Budget Authority can make micro-purchases (any purchases under $3,000) without soliciting price or rate quotations if the Budget Authority considers the price to be reasonable based on information such as research (price comparisons), experience, or prior purchases.
    • On June 20th, is a MEMO from the OMB, the threshold was increased from $3,000 to $10,000. Please see link.

Miscellaneous Disbursement Voucher

• Miscellaneous Disbursement Vouchers are used when there is no other applicable process to disburse funds. Some examples include bonuses for class completion and payments for focus group participation.
  • 1. Check the XS19 screen and verify availability of funds.
  • 2. Check in Datatel (vendor inquiry screen… veni) if the payee has been established as a vendor.
  • 3. If the payee has not been established as a vendor, give the paperwork to Purchasing to set up a new vendor account.
  • 4. Fill out a Miscellaneous Direct Voucher including grant number, payee name, vendor ID, and dollar amount.
  • 5. Once the voucher is ready, have the DRA approve it and forward to Accounts Payable for processing.
  • 6. Scan the voucher and letter and file it the corresponding grant.
  • 7. Enter amounts in reconciliation spreadsheet.

P-card

• The PCard (Purchasing card) is a form of payment that is usually prohibited with grant funds due to the posting of the transaction and lack of pre-approval.
• Use of Pcard MUST have prior approval before the purchase of any item(s)/service(s) from the Director of Financial Accounting and Reporting, the grant funding agent, the grant budget authority, and the budget authority's department VP.
  • The transaction may have taken place in March 08 but may not hit the GL until June 08. This can make reporting difficult and cumbersome. There are situations where the Pcard may have to be used and this is with DRA discretion.
    • The P‐Card is designed to make the purchase of small dollar items easier. Small dollar items are those that cost $500 or less and for which will not exceed $1,000 in any calendar month. The intent of the program is to replace the use of purchase orders for small‐dollar items and provide a simple mechanism for prepaying certain expenses, such as registrations or subscriptions.
    • There are two methods of moving P‐card transactions to grant accounts when it becomes necessary to do so.
      • Wait until the P‐card transaction has posted to the department’s 10 accounts, and then create a journal entry to move the charge to the grant.
      • Redirect the charge to the grant before it posts to the 10 account.
        • When the department prepares their P‐card report at the end of every billing cycle, they should note on the report which charges they would like to redirect to the grant and forward this report to Restricted Accounting instead of Purchasing.
        • RA should review these charges like any other (sufficient funds, allowability), record in the reconciliation, approve, scan, and forward to the DRA for approval. Then take the approved report to Purchasing.

Blanket Purchase Order

• A Blanket PO can be set up to expedite multiple purchases from the same vendor. For example, if the Dental Hygiene department knows that they will be placing several $2,000 orders for dental supplies from a single vendor, then at the beginning of the year, they can create a $10,000 blanket PO. Once the PO has been set up, the department can place their orders directly with the vendor without having to do an individual requisition. Individual invoices can then be labeled with the BPO number and forwarded directly to AP.
  • RA reviews PR to ensure:
    • PR signed by Budget Authority
    • Sub‐code is appropriate for expenditure
    • Funds are available in the account
    • Backup documentation if applicable (daycare contracts, etc.) correspond with dates and students listed on PR
    • Print the first page of the PR (REQM),detail in to see the line items page (RQIL), and detail into one of the line items (RQIM) which will show you the GL account number, if applicable print the comments page
    • Write grant number, date stamp, and initial front page of PR
    • PR must be approved by DRA or Grant Accountant
    • Enter the amount on your tracking spreadsheet to monitor future expenditures
    • Submit PR to Purchasing for processing